diff --git a/WHATSNEW b/WHATSNEW
index 4c13ec83c..9ccb525b4 100644
--- a/WHATSNEW
+++ b/WHATSNEW
@@ -1,6 +1,12 @@
 Changes from Ant 1.2 to the current sources
 ===========================================
 
+Changes that could break older environments:
+--------------------------------------------
+
+* Ant doesn't search for the buildfile anymore, unless you use the new
+  -find argument.
+
 Other changes:
 --------------
 
diff --git a/docs/index.html b/docs/index.html
index 994eb7603..c92d3f62a 100644
--- a/docs/index.html
+++ b/docs/index.html
@@ -202,6 +202,7 @@ Options:
 -logger <classname>    the class which is to perform logging
 -listener <classname>  add an instance of class as a project listener
 -buildfile <file>      use given buildfile
+-find <file>           search for buildfile towards the root of the filesystem and use it
 -D&lt;property&gt;=&lt;value&gt;   use value for given property</pre>
 <h3>Examples</h3>
 <blockquote>
diff --git a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
index 53f62688c..41a032283 100644
--- a/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
+++ b/src/main/org/apache/tools/ant/Main.java
@@ -161,6 +161,8 @@ public class Main {
 
     protected Main(String[] args) throws BuildException {
 
+        String searchForThis = null;
+
         // cycle through given args
 
         for (int i = 0; i < args.length; i++) {
@@ -238,7 +240,7 @@ public class Main {
                 if (posEq > 0) {
                     value = name.substring(posEq+1);
                     name = name.substring(0, posEq);
-                } else if (i < args.length)
+                } else if (i < args.length-1)
                     value = args[++i];
 
                 definedProps.put(name, value);
@@ -253,6 +255,13 @@ public class Main {
             } else if (arg.equals("-projecthelp")) {
                 // set the flag to display the targets and quit
                 projectHelp = true;
+            } else if (arg.equals("-find")) {
+                // eat up next arg if present, default to build.xml
+                if (i < args.length-1) {
+                    searchForThis = args[++i];
+                } else {
+                    searchForThis = DEFAULT_BUILD_FILENAME;
+                }
             } else if (arg.startsWith("-")) {
                 // we don't have any more args to recognize!
                 String msg = "Unknown arg: " + arg;
@@ -267,9 +276,13 @@ public class Main {
         }
 
         // if buildFile was not specified on the command line,
-        // then search for it
         if (buildFile == null) {
-            buildFile = findBuildFile(DEFAULT_BUILD_FILENAME);
+            // but -find then search for it
+            if (searchForThis != null) {
+                buildFile = findBuildFile(".", searchForThis);
+            } else {
+                buildFile = new File(DEFAULT_BUILD_FILENAME);
+            }
         }
 
         // make sure buildfile exists
@@ -289,18 +302,6 @@ public class Main {
         readyToRun = true;
     }
 
-    /**
-     * Helper to get the parent file for a given filename.
-     *
-     * <P>Added to simulate File.getParentFile() from JDK 1.2.
-     *
-     * @param filename  File name
-     * @return          Parent file or null if none
-     */
-    private File getParentFile(String filename) {
-        return getParentFile(new File(filename));
-    }
-
     /**
      * Helper to get the parent file for a given file.
      *
@@ -334,12 +335,12 @@ public class Main {
      *
      * @exception BuildException    Failed to locate a build file
      */
-    private File findBuildFile(String suffix) throws BuildException {
+    private File findBuildFile(String start, String suffix) throws BuildException {
         if (msgOutputLevel >= Project.MSG_INFO) {
             System.out.println("Searching for " + suffix + " ...");
         }
 
-        File parent = getParentFile(suffix);
+        File parent = new File(new File(start).getAbsolutePath());
         File file = new File(parent, suffix);
         
         // check if the target file exists in the current directory
@@ -503,6 +504,8 @@ public class Main {
         msg.append("  -listener <classname>  add an instance of class as a project listener" + lSep);
         msg.append("  -buildfile <file>      use given buildfile" + lSep);
         msg.append("  -D<property>=<value>   use value for given property" + lSep);
+        msg.append("  -find <file>           search for buildfile towards the root of the file" + lSep);
+        msg.append("                         system and use it" + lSep);
         System.out.println(msg.toString());
     }